Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-10551

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to endorse the Hospitality Rising recruitment campaign, and, if so, what specific help it will give to the campaign.

We welcome the industry-led, UK-wide Hospitality Rising recruitment campaign as an important initiative to help attract more people into the sector.

The Scottish Government recognises the acute challenges for the sector posed by the current labour shortages which have been exacerbated by a combination of Brexit and the pandemic.

Hospitality is vital to Scotland's economy and people are key to its success. While there is no action planned to support this specific campaign, we are committed to working with the sector to find solutions.

To date this has included funding for a campaign to encourage more people to consider a career in tourism and hospitality branded ‘do what you love’, in partnership with industry in 2021. We are considering how to build on this initiative, alongside the continuation of longer-term work to improve conditions and promote fair work to make it more attractive to potential employees. We continue to work with the sector cooperatively, to address these challenges.

Question reference: S6W-10516

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place to cover any financial costs and loss of earnings of community representatives who take part in planning enquiries.

In planning proceedings the parties are normally expected to meet their own expenses and expenses are only awarded on grounds of unreasonable behaviour.

Unreasonable behaviour would be deemed if another party to the appeal has acted unreasonably and this caused the party making the claim to incur unnecessary expense, either because it should not have been necessary for the case to come before Scottish Ministers or because of the manner in which the party against whom the claim is made, has conducted their part of the proceedings.

Question reference: S6W-10549

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the research being carried out into the appropriateness of opening the muirburn season in September.

Question reference: S6W-10281

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any reports of bus operators that are in receipt of public subsidy being unable to deliver services in Scotland due to resources being diverted to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and, if this is the case, what plans it has to recoup any funding.

I am aware of reports about a bus operator deploying drivers to the Commonwealth Games, and my officials have raised this directly with the relevant operator, reminding them of the expectations in our Network Support Grant Plus funding about the service levels they will provide. The operator confirmed that a small number of drivers from Scotland were involved in delivering the services needed for the Commonwealth Games, and mitigations were put in place to ensure the impact on local services was minimised. I can confirm that no buses funded through the Scottish Ultra Low Emission Bus grant were deployed to support the Commonwealth Games. In addition Network Support Grant Plus funding is only provided for services actually run, and payment recovery will take place when the scheme ends for any service kilometres that did not operate.

Question reference: S6W-10841

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to the introduction of a Scotland-wide shopper stimulus scheme to help less well-off households.

The Scottish Government has supported the development of the Scotland Loves Local (SLL) gift card scheme as part of the SLL programme aimed primarily at economic stimulus and building community wealth. The card can be pre-loaded with funds for rewards and gifts, including for use for retail, hospitality, transport, culture and leisure.

In February, we launched the £80 million Local Authority Covid Economic Recovery (LACER) fund which empowers councils to consider the needs of local businesses, communities and households and to target support to maximise economic recovery in their areas. The dual purpose approach of economic stimulus and support for low income households was first pioneered in late 2021 by East Ayrshire Council who chose to use their own funding to provide £20 and then £50 SLL Gift cards to low income households.

Some local authorities chose to use the existing SLL gift card scheme as a mechanism to deliver the dual purpose of support to low income households and local business. To date, over £12m of funding has been committed for the SLL cards targeted at low income households via the LACER. This includes Glasgow £8.9m, Aberdeen £1.1m, Argyll & Bute £800,000 South Ayrshire £500,000 East Renfrewshire £450,000 with other local authorities’ still to be confirmed.

Question reference: S6W-10919

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of options that it discussed with representatives of the mortgage lending industry regarding the implications of the cost of living crisis for homeowners with mortgages on their property, and what the policy outcomes were of those discussions.

Oversight and regulation of mortgage lenders is a reserved matter, as a result the Scottish Government has no powers or authority to intervene in the operation of the mortgage market, nor control mortgage or general borrowing rates.

However, the Scottish Government is committed to using levers it has available to support households through the Cost Crisis. Scottish Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives of the financial services sector, including lenders, to discuss a range of matters including measures to support households and businesses in Scotland and have committed to continued collaboration throughout the cost crisis to tackle the immediate challenges and address key underlying structural issues.

Question reference: S6W-10922

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government on which dates it has met representatives of the mortgage lending industry to discuss the implications of the cost of living crisis for homeowners with mortgages on their property.

The Deputy First Minister met with the financial services sector at the quarterly Financial Services Growth and Development Board (FISGAD) on 30 August 2022 and discussed measures industry and government can partner on to support households and businesses in Scotland.

Officials also regularly engage with UK Finance (representative body for the banking and Finance Industry) to discuss a range of issues affecting the mortgage sector including at their quarterly Board meetings in Scotland, last held on 10 June 2022, and on 1 September 2022 where discussions included the cost crisis, and the support lenders can offer customers in difficulty.

The Scottish Government remain in contact with the financial services sector on a regular basis in the current period and expect to engage regularly in the future.

Question reference: S6W-10844

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any NHS boards in Scotland are participating in the GBS3 clinical trial, being run by the Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, and what it can do to ensure that (a) data and (b) experience from Scotland is included in the trial.

A map of participating centres in the GBS3 trial is available on the GBS3 trial website and the Group B Strep support website .

Participation in such clinical trials is a matter for individual NHS Boards.The Scottish Government has twice contacted the Scottish Heads of Midwifery and Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinical Directors within all NHS Boards to share the information provided on the GBS3 clinical trial and to make them aware of the opportunity for participation, on 31 May and 14 September 2022. The NHS Research Scotland Reproductive Health and Childbirth Specialty Group have also promoted the trial on several occasions through their monthly newsletter.

Question reference: S6W-10799

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the amount of remuneration for each individual currently serving on two or more boards of public bodies, and whether it will provide a list showing the amount for each position held.

The Scottish Government public appointments team, in line with the Ethical Standards Commissioner Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland, publishes information including the rate of remuneration on those holding board member and Chair positions on the boards of regulated public bodies. This information is published on the Public Appointments website on the Scottish Government Website. [ Full list of public appointments by public body - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ].

An extract is attached highlighting the remuneration received by those individuals who currently serve on the boards of two or more public bodies.

Board Members Holding Two or More Public Appointments

Name	Board	Position	Remuneration
Ailsa Raeburn	Crown Estate Scotland	Member	£219.50 per day
Ailsa Raeburn	Highlands and Islands Enterprise	Member	£10,056 per annum
Albert Donald	Grampian NHS Board	Member - Whistleblowing Champion	£8,930 per annum
Albert Donald	Highland NHS Board	Member - Whistleblowing Champion	£8,930 per annum
Amanda Bryan	Crown Estate Scotland	Chair	£361 per day
Amanda Bryan	Highlands and Islands Enterprise	Member	£10,056 per annum
Andrew Thin	Crofting Commission	Commissioner	£178.23 per day
Andrew Thin	Scottish Land Commission	Chair	£273.60 per day
Angiolina Foster CBE	Public Health Scotland	Chair	£27,830 per annum
Angiolina Foster CBE	Scottish Fire and Rescue Service	Member	£297.95 per day
Ann Allen MBE	Architecture and Design Scotland	Chair	£200 per day
Ann Allen MBE	National Museums of Scotland	Member	Nil
Ann Allen MBE	Scottish Futures Trust	Member	£325 per day
Ann Allen MBE	Water Industry Commission for Scotland	Member	£13,780 per annum
Anne-Marie Monaghan	Greater Glasgow & Clyde NHS Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Anne-Marie Monaghan	Independent Living Fund Scotland	Member	£182.56 per day
Bill Matthews	Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission	Chair	£425 per day
Bill Matthews	Scottish Futures Trust	Member	£325 per day
Brian Baverstock	Scottish Fire and Rescue Service	Member	£297.95 per day
Brian Baverstock	Scottish Legal Aid Board	Member	£238.92 per day
Brian Moore	Lanarkshire NHS Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Brian Moore	The State Hospitals Board for Scotland	Chair	£27,830 per annum
Carole Wilkinson	Care Inspectorate	Member (in capacity as Chair of HIS)	Nil - paid as Chair of Healthcare Improvement Scotland
Carole Wilkinson	Healthcare Improvement Scotland	Chair	£178.39 per day
Caroline Stuart	Regional Colleges and Regional Boards (Dumfries and Galloway)	Chair	£211 per day
Caroline Stuart	Scottish Funding Council	Member	£350.73 per day
Caroline Stuart	Scottish Police Authority	Member	£378 per day
Christine Lester	Accounts Commission for Scotland	Member	£296.23 per day
Christine Lester	Healthcare Improvement Scotland	Lay Member	£171.74 per day
Douglas Moodie	Care Inspectorate	Chair	£272.50 per day
Douglas Moodie	Healthcare Improvement Scotland	Member (in capacity as Chair of Care Inspectorate)	Nil - paid as Chair of Care Inspectorate
Douglas Moodie	Scottish Social Services Council	Member (in capacity as Chair of Care Inspectorate)	Nil - paid as Convenor of Care Inspectorate
Dr Carol Evans	Food Standards Scotland	Member	£227 per day
Dr Carol Evans	Skills Development Scotland	Member	£8,136 per annum
Dr Gaener Rodger	Highland NHS Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Dr Gaenor Rodger	Cairngorms National Park Authority	Member	£226.75 per day
Dr Heather Reid	Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority	Member	£199.35 per day
Dr Heather Reid	NatureScot	Member	£317.22 per day
Dr Keith Nicholson	Highlands and Islands Enterprise	Member	£10,056 per annum
Dr Keith Nicholson	VisitScotland	Member	£8,235 per annum
Dr Kirsty Darwent	Scottish Fire and Rescue Service	Chair	£444 per day
Dr Kirsty Darwent	Scottish Agricultural Wages Board	Chair	£250.50 per day
Dr Mike Cantlay OBE	Scottish Funding Council	Chair	£485.17 per day
Dr Mike Cantlay OBE	NatureScot	Chair	£361.43 per day
Dr Paul Stollard	Historic Environment Scotland	Member	Nil
Dr Paul Stollard	Scottish Fire and Rescue Service	Member	£297.95 per day
Dr Poonam Malik	Scottish Enterprise	Member	£13,260 per annum
Dr Poonam Malik	Skills Development Scotland	Member	£8,136 per annum
Dr Susan Walker	Food Standards Scotland	Member	£227 per day
Dr Susan Walker	Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland	Member	£219 per day
Dr William Maxwell	Care Inspectorate	Lay Member	£174.50 per day
Dr William Maxwell	Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator	Member	£212 per day
Elizabeth Humphreys	Independent Living Fund Scotland	Member	£182.56 per day
Elizabeth Humphreys	Public Health Scotland	Member - Whistleblowing Champion	£8,930 per annum
Elizabeth Humphreys	Scottish Ambulance Service	Member - Whistleblowing Champion	£8,930 per annum
George Walker	Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator	Interim Chair	£283 per day
George Walker	Scottish Housing Regulator	Chair	£216.14 per day
Gillian Mawdsley	NHS Education for Scotland	Member - Whistleblowing Champion	£8,930 per annum
Gillian Mawdsley	Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission	Legal Member	£12,192 per annum
Gordon Johnston	Forth Valley NHS Board	Member - Whistleblowing Champion	£8,930 per annum
Gordon Johnston	Mental Welfare Commission	Lay Member	£220 per day
Graham MacNeil Bell OBE	Community Justice Scotland	Member	£4,000 per annum
Graham MacNeil Bell OBE	Highland NHS Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Grant Macrae	David MacBrayne Ltd	Non-Executive Director	£320 per day
Grant Macrae	Scottish Police Authority	Member	£378 per day
Ian Russell CBE	National Museums of Scotland	Chair	Nil
Ian Russell CBE	Scottish Futures Trust	Chair	£18,432 per annum (not taken)
James Martin	Scottish Legal Complaints Commission	Chair	£313 per day
James Martin	Environmental Standards Scotland	Chair	£300 per day
Janie McCusker	Forth Valley NHS Board	Chair	£33,052 per annum
Janie McCusker	Regional Colleges and Regional Boards (Glasgow)	Chair	£330 per day
Jean Ford	Ayrshire & Arran NHS Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Jean Ford	NHS Education for Scotland	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Jean Lindsay	Crown Estate Scotland	Member	£219.50 per day
Jean Lindsay	Revenue Scotland	Member	£275 per day
Katharina Kasper	Children’s Hearing Scotland	Chair	£21,120 per annum
Katharina Kasper	Lothian NHS Board	Member - Whistleblowing Champion	£8,930 per annum
Katharina Kasper	Scottish Police Authority	Member	£378 per day
Keith Redpath	Care Inspectorate	Lay Member	£174.50 per day
Keith Redpath	NHS National Services Scotland	Chair	£27,830 per annum
Linda Bamford	Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland	Chair (Convener)	£200 per day
Linda Bamford	Poverty and Inequality Commission	Member	£225 per day
Linda Semple	Ayrshire & Arran NHS Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Linda Semple	NHS Golden Jubilee Board	Lay Member (Vice Chair)	£8,930 per annum
Lorna Jack	Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd	Chair	£330 per day
Lorna Jack	Scottish Funding Council	Member	£350.73 per day
Marieke Dwarshuis	NHS 24	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Marieke Dwarshuis	Scottish Housing Regulator	Member	£179.78 per day
Marieke Dwarshuis	Scottish Legal Aid Board	Member	£238.92 per day
Martin Hill	Lanarkshire NHS Board	Chair	£35,489 per annum
Martin Hill	Scottish Environment Protection Agency	Member	£293.29 per day
Michelle Miller	Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA)	Chair	£22,880 per annum
Michelle Miller	Scottish Police Authority	Member	£378 per day
Naghat Ahmed	Care Inspectorate	Lay Member	£174.50 per day
Naghat Ahmed	Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland	Member	£150 per day
Peter Murray	Lothian NHS Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Peter Murray	Scottish Social Services Council	Member	£154.13 per day
Prof Donald MacRae OBE	Highlands and Islands Enterprise	Member	£10,056 per annum
Prof Donald MacRae OBE	Water Industry Commission for Scotland	Chair	£36,400 per annum
Raymond McMenamin	Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission	Legal Member	£12,192 per annum
Raymond McMenamin	Scottish Legal Aid Board	Member	£238.92 per day
Sandra Campbell	Care Inspectorate	Member (in capacity as Convener of SSSC)	Nil - paid as Convenor of Scottish Social Services Council
Sandra Campbell	Scottish Social Services Council	Chair (Convener)	£25168 per annum
Sandy Riddell	Grampian NHS Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Sandy Riddell	Mental Welfare Commission	Chair	£338 per day
Sharon O'Connor	Accounts Commission for Scotland	Member	£296.23 per day
Sharon O'Connor	David MacBrayne Ltd	Non-Executive Director	£320 per day
Siobhan White	Lanarkshire NHS Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Siobhan White	Scottish Housing Regulator	Member	£179.78 per day
Stephen McAllister	Forth Valley NHS Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Stephen McAllister	NHS Golden Jubilee Board	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Stephen McAllister	Risk Management Authority	Member	£5,880 per annum
Steve Barron	Public Health Scotland	Member	£8,930 per annum
Steve Barron	Scottish Fire and Rescue Service	Member	£297.95 per day
Stuart Currie	The State Hospitals Board for Scotland	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Stuart Currie	Scottish Ambulance Service	Lay Member	£8,930 per annum
Susan Douglas-Scott	Independent Living Fund Scotland	Chair	£217.54 per day
Susan Douglas-Scott	NHS Golden Jubilee Board	Chair	£27,830 per annum
Tim Ingram	David MacBrayne Ltd	Non-Executive Director	£320 per day
Tim Ingram	Western Isles NHS Board	Member	£8,176 per annum
Tim McKay	Accounts Commission for Scotland	Member	£296.23 per day
Tim McKay	Scottish Legal Aid Board	Member	£238.92 per day
Willie Watt	National Galleries of Scotland	Member	Nil
Willie Watt	Scottish National Investment Bank	Chair	£1,250 per day

Question reference: S6W-10809

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08901 by Neil Gray on 22 June 2022, how many Ukrainian refugees have been removed from accommodation against their will.

No displaced people from Ukraine have been removed from accommodation against their will.

Our absolute priority is ensuring the wellbeing and safety of displaced people from Ukraine. The Scottish Government is working to ensure that there is temporary accommodation available in cities where people may arrive late at night. This, as well as the temporary nature of some of the hotel availability means that in some cases, people will be requested to move into other accommodation. The Scottish Government is working to support people to move into longer-term accommodation.

Chamber and committees